Whale Rider backdrop
Whale Rider movie poster

Whale Rider

2003 • PG-13 • 1h 41m • Drama, Family • Newmarket Films

In the ways of the ancients she found a hope for the future.

🍅 91% 88% MC 80 LB 3.74 IMDb 7.5

Box office summary

Opening Weekend
$137K
3-day opening
Domestic Total
$20.8M
Final
Worldwide Total
$39.4M
$18.6M international
Domestic Legs151.2x
Budget$4.3M
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Cast & Crew

Directed byNiki Caro ScreenplayNiki Caro Produced byTim Sanders, Frank Hübner, John Barnett CinematographyLeon Narbey MusicLisa Gerrard Prod. DesignGrant Major StarringKeisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton, Cliff Curtis, Grant Roa, Mana Taumaunu, Rachel House StudioNewmarket Films
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The run

WkWeekendRankGrossChgTheatersAvgTotal
1 Jun 6-8 30 $137.4K — 9 $15,269 $137.4K
2 Jun 13-15 27 $161.0K +17.2% 11 $14,637 $356.7K
3 Jun 20-22 15 $602.3K +274.1% 78 $7,722 $1.0M
4 Jun 27-29 14 $977.8K +62.3% 163 $5,999 $2.3M
5 Jul 4-6 13 $1.2M +27.0% 209 $5,943 $4.1M
6 Jul 11-13 14 $1.1M −12.3% 271 $4,020 $5.8M
7 Jul 18-20 15 $1.4M +24.5% 442 $3,069 $7.7M
8 Jul 25-27 14 $1.1M −20.0% 491 $2,210 $9.6M
9 Aug 1-3 15 $1.1M +1.9% 473 $2,337 $11.3M
10 Aug 8-10 13 $928.3K −16.0% 434 $2,139 $12.8M
11 Aug 15-17 17 $717.7K −22.7% 348 $2,062 $14.0M
12 Aug 22-24 21 $612.5K −14.7% 338 $1,812 $15.0M
13 Aug 29-Sep 1 17 $1.1M +79.5% 503 $2,186 $16.9M
14 Sep 5-7 18 $893.4K −18.8% 556 $1,607 $18.1M
15 Sep 12-14 20 $632.2K −29.2% 492 $1,285 $19.1M
16 Sep 19-21 24 $390.7K −38.2% 341 $1,146 $19.7M
17 Sep 26-28 30 $209.6K −46.4% 237 $884 $20.1M
18 Oct 3-5 32 $158.4K −24.4% 195 $812 $20.3M
19 Oct 10-12 33 $105.3K −33.5% 160 $658 $20.5M
20 Oct 17-19 40 $60.9K −42.2% 130 $468 $20.6M
21 Oct 24-26 44 $40.4K −33.7% 96 $421 $20.7M
22 Oct 31-Nov 2 67 $21.1K −47.7% 61 $346 $20.7M
23 Nov 7-9 57 $14.1K −33.5% 45 $312 $20.7M
24 Nov 14-16 74 $13.3K −5.2% 36 $370 $20.8M
25 Nov 21-23 88 $7.5K −43.8% 14 $534 $20.8M
Charts show the first 10 weeks · the run above is the full record
Weekend grossWk 10 · $928.3K
$137.4K
$161.0K
$602.3K
$977.8K
$1.2M
$1.1M
$1.4M
$1.1M
$1.1M
$928.3K
W1W2W3W4W5W6W7W8W9W10
Weekend-over-weekend dropWk 10 · −16.0%
+17.2%
W1→2
+274.1%
W2→3
+62.3%
W3→4
+27.0%
W4→5
−12.3%
W5→6
+24.5%
W6→7
−20.0%
W7→8
+1.9%
W8→9
−16.0%
W9→10
Steepest −20.0%Biggest gain +274.1%

Profitability

Return on Budget
Theatrical breakeven point is approx. 2.5x production budget

Domestic vs International Split

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